Last days

Well I'm in the home straight now and while I have had a wonderful time, I think I am ready to come home.
Last time I wrote we were getting ready to visit the Vatican museum. The night before we went I did a presentation on the Sistine Chapel. This is one place that gives so much more if you know what then plan is and how the different pictures play off each other. One good place to learn is the Vatican Museum website - regarded as one of the best web sites in the world. Though I had prepared material last year and was able to use it, I ended up taking the group through this website and supplementing the information. They found this helpful for the next day's visit.
We arrived early - about 1 1/2 hours before it opened. Even though we didn't have booked tickets, we got in only a little behind the groups that had paid extra to book. Even then they had to wait in line for quite some time. One piece of advice I gave was that if you wanted to see the Sistine Chapel well go directly there and try to see the other things later. The ones in our ggroup that followed this advice found themselves in the chapel with about 20 people. Those who didn't found themselves in pandemonium. Cattle act better than the crowds who were there. They took no notice of the requests for quiet and not to take photos and I really wonder why they were there. For one thing, the photos they took were useless, one was much better off getting postcards. I honestly think if you want to see the chapel, go in winter.
For myself, I wanted to see the Modern art Collection and was delighted with what was on display. Last year, little was on view, I presume because of renovations. They seem to be renovating something somewhere here all the time. But I suppose that is the nature of life in a building over 4 centuries old. One thing that amazes me with the renovation is how discretely the necessary additions of the the modern world - electricity, smoke alarms, security devices - are worked into the fabric of the buildings.
But this year with one of the sisters, Teresa Jackson, I slowly went through the collection. Lots of stuff, good stuff was on display and it was a pleasure to have someone to share it with. As it turned out a number of our group were interested in that display. It was largely the legacy of Pope Paul VI and it is a wonderful selection of the best of 20th century artists. There is a bronze casting of Vat II that fills a room and which delighted all of our group that took time to wander around the walls, looking at all the groups of cast people.
In the painting section of the gallery, I was taken, last year, with a painting of St Matthew writing the Gospel and was pleased that this year there were a number of posters etc available of this painting...and that a number of our group enjoyed this painting as well.
The day after we went to Monte Cassino, the place were St Benedict founded a monastery and were he and his sister, Scholastica are buried. It is a wonderful sight and it is quite something to go up the mountian,back and forth across curves and 7 switchbacks. The monastery is the property of the Italian Government, like most houses of religious in Italy. Even though 20 monks live there it is largely a 'historical monument'. For Italians, visiting historical monuments is the stuff of holidays and while we were there a number of groups went through. But surprisingly to us, when Marcia was negiogiating the parking arrangements for the bus, the officials could hardly believe that we wanted to spend three hours there! We had a tour, were given time to pray in the room that Benedict wrote his Rule, pray in the Church and crypt and then spent time going through the excellent musuem. It is very well done with an amazing number of pieces - vestments, manuscripts, etc. I do wonder though if someone ever said to the sacristan or the abbots - "I think we have enough jewelled chalices." There are some many and just how many do you need.
After Monte Cassino, one of the highlights of the program for the landlocked Americans - the seaside near Sperlonga! This year our bus driver took us to a much better beach than last year - a long free beach, where people could change easily and get drinks without having to climb over 150 steps.Once again it was like taking toddlers to the beach they had so much fun. I tried sand sculpture for the first time, making a dolphin and a starfish and a little fish and I protected this from the traders who push there carts of goods up and down the beach constantly, but then one of our group, Ann, walked right into it and gave the dolphin a lobotomony - so no picture for the blog. The bus driver we had this day and the week before was so pleasant, we are going to request him for our trips next year.
On Friday I did later Monastic Women and that went well. Once again I was grateful for the teaching of Nola Smith. Even though I had a lot of material, I felt that I was in control of it and was able to get through most of it, on time....well only five mintues over time.
Since then we have been having reflections days bring together the threads of the program. We had to change the timetable as the Italian transport had a strike of part of the train system - ON A SUNDAY. Whoever has a strike on a Sunday and then only part of the system.
The G8 meeting was held here recently and it was quite a difference to when George Bush was in town. The securuty doesn't seem to have stopped the city to quite the extent that Bush's visit did. Mind you, we don't really seem to be following the news that much - but then when three helicoptors went over during Vespers last Friday, the Americans did know that that was Obama and his family flying out.
This coming week will be busy, the troops leave on Tuesday, we have much to pack and a report to write. I am really looking forward to having time with Leo and Cathy's family in Perth. I'll be there just under a week and then home, home to space, sea and the glories of Central QLD. It is good have come here and it will be good to go home.